Microhierax melanoleucos
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5% in a week ~10%
The pied falconet, (Microhierax melanoleucos) is a species of bird of prey in the family Falconidae. It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Hong Kong, India, Laos, and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is temperate forests.
These raptors belong to the genus Microhierax, which includes the smallest bird of prey species in the world. The pied falconet, also known as the white-legged falconet, nests in old woodpecker cavities. The species is listed as least concern because of its large home range and stable population size.
The pied falconet is a small black and white raptor, measuring between 7 and 7 ½ inches and weighing between 55 and 75 grams (2.6 oz). However, it is still larger than the other members of the genus Microhierax. Its face is white with a prominent black patch covering the eyes reaching to the ear coverts. The upper parts, including the crown, are completely black. The primaries are black with white wing bars. Its long tail has black upper parts and is black with white bars from below. The pied falconet displays no sexual dimorphism, and the juveniles strongly resemble adult males.
The five species belonging to the genus Microhierax are the smallest members... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cuc Phuong National Park | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | |
| 2 | Namdapha National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 3 | Kaziranga National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 4 | Royal Manas National Park | 🇧🇹 Bhutan |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Pied Falconet sighting in Kaziranga National Park on a given day, based on 26 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 251st most-seen of the 323 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, and over a week to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Pied Falconet in Kaziranga National Park on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season. June and July have too few records to rate.
Between midnight and 3 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Pied Falconet sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
3rd of 4
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Pied Falconet sightings, Kaziranga National Park ranks 3rd at under 5%. The best odds are in Cuc Phuong National Park (Vietnam, about 20%) and Namdapha National Park (India, about 10%).
Same family: Falconidae
The closest relatives of the Pied Falconet that you can see in Kaziranga National Park (family Falconidae, Falcons and Caracaras) are Common Kestrel (about 20%) and Peregrine Falcon (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Pied Falconet is recorded against all the birds logged in Kaziranga National Park (26 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
